Fox is currently considering bringing back The X-Files, Prison Break and another 24, series but without Kiefer Sutherland.
Saturday at the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour, Fox Television chairman and CEO Dana Walden and Gary Newman noted that they are in a “rebuilding mode” and are considering bringing back several hit TV series.
Fox is bringing back ’24’
One of the series they plan on bringing back is ’24’. The series was revived last summer as a miniseries with Sutherland as the main character. Now, Fox executives are thinking about bringing back the franchise but, without leading actor Sutherland.
“We would love nothing more than to do another 24. That’s a constant focus for us,” Newman said during the TCA press tour.
Kiefer Sutherland has been vocal about retiring from the starring role of Jack Bauer, and Fox has discussed bringing back the series without him.
“We have discussed it with him,” Walden said. “Potentially, he won’t be in this installment, we’re not sure yet. We’re not that far along but I know he supports us doing more 24. We’re not talking about continuing the show without him; we’re talking about whether there’s one installment that he’s not in.”
“We have discussed it with him,” Walden said. “Potentially, he won’t be in this installment, we’re not sure yet. We’re not that far along but I know he supports us doing more 24. We’re not talking about continuing the show without him; we’re talking about whether there’s one installment that he’s not in.”
She stressed that the format of 24 with its real-time element will be enough to keep viewers hooked on the series. “I think great characters with that creative team … I look at everyone that surrounded Kiefer in that last installment — I think it could work,” she said, noting they plan to again take their time with another revival.
“[The pitch] was in the very origin stages and it could have gone either way,” Walden said. “There was a point at which Jack Bauer could come in and fit very organically into their story or they were prepared to do something that would be the one installment without him.” [via]
The Return of the X-Files
Fox executives are seriously considering bringing back the cult classic, ‘The X-Files’ with David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. “We’ve had some conversations on X-Files and we’re hopeful that we’ll bring that back,” Newman told the press core.
Anderson, who played the scientific sceptic countering her conspiracy theorist co-worker, has sparked a new drive to bring back the show during an interview with Nerdist.com. The actress has asked fans to voice their support by tweeting #X-Files 2015 and targeting Fox’s Twitter @FoxTV, saying she would be “f—ing overjoyed” if the show got a reboot.
The X-Files was created by Chris Carter and won numerous awards including multiple Emmys and Golden Globes and scored a fervent fanbase. Two movies followed in 1998 and and 2008.
Another Prison Break?
Fox executives revealed that they would love to bring the show back for another series. “There’s some speculation in the press at Prison Break and we’ve made it clear at the studio that we’d bring Prison Break back at the studio,” Newman said. “It’s the perfect event series. But at the moment, we have nothing else to report.”
Prison Break was originally turned down by Fox in 2003, which was concerned about the long-term prospects of such a series. Following the popularity of serialized prime time television series Lost and 24, Fox decided to back production in 2004.
What do you think? Discuss this story with fellow Project Casting fans on Facebook. On Twitter, follow us at @projectcasting.